USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dracut > History of Dracut, Massachusetts, called by the Indians Augumtoocooke and before incorporation, the wildernesse north of the Merrimac. First permanment settlement in 1669 and incorporated as a town in 1701 > Part 7
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Laid out by Jona. Danforth, Surveyor, The Court doth allow and approve of this return."
This tract must have included the site of the Lowell General Hospital and Flag Meadow brook and assists in determining the west bound of the Indian reservation. The grant later came into possesion of the Varnums.
THE INDIAN RESERVATION
In 1653, John Eliott, fearing the encroachment of white settlers upon the Indian villages at Pawtucket and Wamesit, petitioned the General Court for a reservation of land for them. In answer the Court granted, under date of May 18, 1653, a tract on both sides of the river and covering the most of what is now Lowell.
Five hundred acres were laid out on the north side of the river. No plan is on file nor any description of the laying out of the five hundred acres, but it reached from the river near the head of the falls to Beaver Brook above Meadow bridge. A deed of transfer of adjacent property shows the northern bound to have reached to Long Pond, from which angle it turned southerly to Merrimack river. It was certainly bounded westerly near the river by Martyn's grant.
In 1686, the Indians sold their land to Jonathan Tyng and Thomas Hinchman, who in turn sold it to fifty inhabitants of Chelmsford. The tract became known as "Chelmsford" land and later came into possession of Thomas, John and Joseph Varnum, the sons of Samuel Varnum. This included all the land from the Navy Yard to the boulevard and from the Merri- mack to the paper mill.
Thus by the purchase of the five grants already described the Varnums and Colburns owned from Tyng's Island to Beaver brook and from the river to Long Pond. The divisional line between the properties belonging to these two families on the
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
river appears to have been a little above the Thomas Varnum farm, opposite the Old Meadow road. This seems highly probable, as the land west of this line was Colburn land, while on the east it was Varnum land and portions of it are still in pos- session of the descendants of the original owners bearing those names.
Edward Colburn divided his property between his seven sons and one daughter, who had married Thomas Richardson.
These sons, whose names are given in another chapter, came into possession of the property, but were not all settlers on it as one, Robert, lived at Beverly and among his numerous descendants none are found in Dracut or vicinity. As these several divisions of land contained a large number of acres they, in the next generation, were again divided and passed from father to son but the incorporation of Lowell and the intro- duction of railroads has made a great change in the farms of the early days. Streets and dwelling houses now occupy the corn fields and forests.
THE RUSSELL GRANT
Richard Russell came from Herefordshire, England, in 1640, to Charlestown and engaged in business as a merchant. He soon became prominent in the affairs of the Colony. As his ability was recognized, he was advanced from one office to another of more responsibility, becoming finally treasurer of the Colony. A tract of land having been assigned him, the report of the survey is: "12 November 1659 Layd out to Mr. Richard Russell Treasurer one thousand and sixe hundred acres of land, on the northerne side of Merremacke River in the wildernesse, begin- ning right over against Wajmesicke, being bounded with Beaver Brooke on the west, Merremacke River on the south, the wilder- nesse elsewhere sourrounding, acording to marked trees, as is more fully demonstrated by a plott taken of the same wch is on file by Jonathan Dunforth Surveyor." The original plan is on file in the State archives. This is further described as: "a parcell of land graunted in the yeare sixteene hundred & fifty to Robert Saltonstall in right of Sir Richard Saltonstall for fower hundred pounds lajd out by him in ve comon stocke, provided that Mr. Russell shall and is hereby engaged to secure
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the countrje from any challenge weh shall or may be made to the land herein mentioned by the heirs or executors of the sd Robt Saltonstall or any other as by any right from him."
Thus is seems that the Court gave an equivalent to a quit- claim deed and placed the responsibility of a challenge on Mr. Russell, but no record of any such challenge has been found. The grant to Saltonstall was 3000 acres and apparently it had not been laid out before Russell petitioned for a portion. There is no reason to suppose that the remainder of the Saltonstall grant was within the bounds of Dracut.
The east line of the Russell Grant commenced at the river about opposite the Gen. Butler residence, thence running over Christian hill, practically on the line of Beacon street, crossing Willard street, and forming the east bound of the Clough place, it reaches the Common at the Center, a little east of the Yellow Meeting house and near the line of the horse sheds and "Widow Masseys well," on the north side of Arlington street. It follows the old highway (Chapman street) to Fox avenue, thence on the west of Albert Fox's house to Eugene Fox's house, a few feet westerly of it. The north end is in a wall about forty rods south of the Marsh Hill road.
The north line of the grant runs somewhat south of the west through the woods above the rifle range to an angle south- east of the Selden Colburn house. Then turning southwesterly it reaches Beaver brook, near the site of the paper mill. Thence in a line about a mile long, partly on the brook, but taking in 30 acres on the west side, it reached the river a little west of the mouth of the brook.
In 1671, Russell sold one half of the grant to John Alcock. In 1687 a division was made by the surveyors between James Russell, the son of Richard, and the Alcock heirs. October 15, 1701, Russell sold his half (the eastern portion) to Gov. Jonathan Belcher. The deed states that the tract "was formerly improved by John Whittacur on account of the above said partners both be- fore and after division." "The division begins at a stake by Meremack river a little to the southward of the place where said Whittacur dwelt by the Brookside and from thence across Wil- kinsons Brooke east 30 degrees northerly 96 pole to another stake and from thence to run two miles norward four and a half degrees
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
westward parallel with the outside line which is the end of the said farme at a stake, and from thence one hundred and thirty eight pole betwixt the parallel lines to a Pillar of stones which is the corner of said ffarme and from thence to run parallel with the former line, being 136 pole wide and three miles wanting 40 poles long on the outside to a Walnutt Tree near Merrimack River and so to butt on ye sd River southerly till it come to ye stake below the place where Whittacur dwelt." Wilkinsons brook was later known as Richardsons brook from families of that name who settled on it. In recent years it has been turned into a sewer. It ran under Hildreth street westerly but curved south and easterly and it entered the river a few rods above Central bridge.
The "96 pole" line must have started at the river near the eastern end of Bunker Hill, so called, and have run to a point on Hildreth street near the Warner Coburn house where the street curves to the east. Belcher's purchase would cover from Beacon street to Hildreth street, as far north as Aiken avenue, and a strip through Dracut Centre to the western slope of Marsh Hill. June 11, 1709, the heirs of John Alcock sold their share of the 1600 acres to Ephraim Hildreth of Chelmsford.
"Butted and bounded upon Merrimack River upon a ditch which divides it from the land of Jonathan Belcher easterly. Southeasterly by a Burrough called formerly Whittakers Burrough."
Mr. Whittaker then may be considered as the first dweller in Centralville and the first tiller of its soil. Hildreth's purchase will be further described under the head of a following grant to Billerica. Governor Belcher divided his share into house lots and sold to John Colburn, Josiah Richardson, Ephraim Hildreth, Hugh Jones and others. The Russell grant included all of Centralville west of Beacon street, Dracut Centre and the Navy Yard village as far as the northerly end of the rifle range.
THE BILLERICA GRANT OF 1667
Two tracts of land within the limits of the town were granted to the town of Billerica. One has been described lying east of Tyng's pond, while the other was located on the east side of Beaver brook. The surveyor's report is as follows :
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"Layd out to Billiricca five hundred acres of land in the wildernesse, on ve North side of Merimack River and on the east side of Beaver Brooke a little below Patucket. It is bounded on the south and ye southeast wholly by lands formerly granted to Richard Russell esquire and on ye west by ye aforesaid beaver brooke elsewhere by the wildernesse, ye line on ye east side of it is 196 pole in length running half a point westward of ye north which is (exactly) ye continuance of ye long line on ye east side Mr. Russels farme, als both the lines on the north side of it are exactly parallel to ye lines on the south side of it, the most northerly of which is 165 pole longe & runs one half a point westward of ye southwest, the other line runes two degrees westward of ye Southwest & by South four hundred and eighty seaven pole, which closeth to the brooke all which are sufficiently bounded by mark't trees and pillars of stone."
This includes all the land lying between the south line of Mr. Finacom's farm and the south line of the late Selden Colburns farm. West of Hildreth street it includes all between the cross road leading from Hildreth street to the paper mill and Elmer Coburn's at New Boston village, also all lying between the paper mill and Jesse Coburn's house. The east line extended from a point on Marsh Hill south of the road, and running a few rods east of the Augustus Coburn house to a point in the meadows northeast of the house and near the state line. From this point running westerly it formed the southerly bound of the Elijah Coburn farm, part of which is owned by Mr. Finacom.
In 1694, the town of Billerica exchanged this property with Palsgrave Alcock, son of John Alcock, for a similar tract within the bounds of that town. In 1709, the Alcock heirs sold this grant of 500 acres with one half of the Russell grant, a total of 1300 acres, to Ephraim Hildreth, as before stated. Hildreth divided his property and sold land to Ebenezer Goodhue, Josiah Richardson, several of the Colburns and others. Some of this property still remains in possession of the Hildreth heirs.
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
THE TYNG GRANT
Hon. Edward Tyng was a man of prominence in the Colony, and father of Jonathan Tyng of Tyngsboro, at whose home he died in 1681. In 1660 he had a grant of land, of which we find the following record :
"3 mo 1660 Laid out to Mr. Edward Tyng of Boston Two hundred and fifty acres of land in ye wilderness on ye Northerne side of merimack River being butted and bounded by a farme laid out to Mr. Russell on ye south east, ye wildernesse elsewhere surrounding according to marked trees as is more fully demonstrated by a plott taken of ye same by Jona. Danforth Surveyor. 4 Oct 1660 Consented to by ye magistrates.
EDWARD RAWSON"
There is an error in this report, as Mr. Russell's line did not bound it on the south. The grant of 500 acres to the town of Billerica, which was made later, lies between Russell's and Tyng's. In 1664, Tyng exchanged this property with Capt. Webb for an equal number of acres on the west side of the river near Salmon brook in Dunstable. Webb sold the eastern half of his new purchase to Shatswell and Varnum. A plot on file in the State office shows his divisional line from north to south, and bears this endorsement on the west-side: "Mr. Webbs share of that farm," and on the east. "Ri Shatswell & Samuel Varnum their part of ve upland." The South line of the grant is un- marked, but is supposed to have commenced at the southwest corner of the farm now owned by William Finacom, from which it ran westerly about one half mile to a point northeasterly of the Benjamin Crosby house. The east line ran north from the Finacom corner one mile, forming the west line of the Finacom land (formerly Elijah Coburns) and the west line of the Gilbert Coburn farm in Pelham, N. H. The northeast corner is near the Beaver brook meadows on land formerly owned by William Lyon and called the "Island." The northwest corner is on the same island about seventy rods further west, where was located "Setchell's corner pine" mentioned in deeds and plans. The west line was near the Old Meadow road, so called, north of the Dana Coburn house.
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The divisional line is indicated part of the way by an old wall. There are no houses and but little cultivated land on this tract. On the southern end of this grant is located the spot where, in 1741, the two surveyors, Richard Hazzen and George Mitchell, commenced their surveys for the present State line, the former going west, and the latter to the ocean on the east, and where the Pine Tree monument marks the three mile limit from Pawtucket falls.
THE WEBB GRANT OF 1665
Before this date Tyng's or Wicosuck island was in possession of the Indians. For those who desired to engage in agriculture it was an excellent location as, being surrounded by water, the growing crops were secure from the devastation of wild animals. By the payment of a fine which had been imposed upon an Indian, Webb earned their gratitude and, by the consent of the General Court, purchased the island. But the Indians realizing their mistake applied to the Colonial authorities for re-instatement. The Court record is to this effect: "11 Oet 1665 In ansr to the petition of Nobstow, Wannalancet, Nonatomennt, Indians, the Court judgeth it meete to grant Mr. John Evered alias Webb five hundred acres of land adjoining to his land now in his possession vpon condition that he release his right of interest in an Island in Merrimacke River called Wicosuck." "15 May 1667 Layd out 500 acres of land in the wildernesse on the eastern side of Beaver Brooke joyning to land formerly granted to Mr Edward Tyng of Boston. Forty acres of it lyeth joyning to the most westerly angle of the forenamed farme and four hundred & twenty acres of it lyeth joyning to the east side of the aforesaid farme, and forty acres at the north end of the farme. All which joyneth together excepting onely one small parcell of about twenty & two acres in common between Beaver Brook and Mr. Tyngs farme aforesayd, otherwise Beaver Brook doe bound this land on the northwest from the most northerly corner of it which is upon the brooke, the other part of the farme is sufficiently bounded: but it lying so much skirting upon Mr Tings ffarme according to the nature of the grant and Mr Webbs desire."
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
It is evident that the Webb grant bounded or "skirted" Tyng's on the west, north and east. There is no plan now on file, but the portion lying northwesterly and northerly of the Tyng land was called the Colburn Old Meadows, and of this a plan is preserved. The bulk of this grant laid on the east side of Tyng's covering the farm of William Finacom and the Gilbert Coburn farm which were formerly one property, and embracing the stretch of meadows on the Coburn sawmill brook between the Marshhill farms and the Highland school district in Pelham. It probably reached eastward nearly to Burns' hill. The tract was long known as the Colburn New Meadow Farm. In 1668, after disposing of most of his Dracut property, Capt. Webb was drowned in Boston Harbor, and his wife sold the remainder of his holdings, much of which came into possession of the Colburns.
THE CONANT GRANT
"When the vessel which bore the first Governor of Massachusetts (Endicott) was entering the harbor of Salem, she was anxiously watched from the beach by four individuals styled in the quaint chronicles of the day as Roger Conant and his three sober men. Roger Conant and his three sober men waded into the water and bore him on their shoulders to land." (Extract from address of Dr. J. G. Palfrey at Danvers Cent. Celebration, 1852.)
Roger Conant was the first settler of the name in New England. He was born in Devonshire in 1592 and came to this country in 1623. In 1625, he took charge of the Cape Ann settlements and with others founded the City of Salem, then called Naumkeag. He is said to have built the first house therein. In 1639, he was one of the deputies from Salem and was Justice of the Quarterly Court of Salem three years. He died in 1679. The Court record 8 June, 1671 is: "In answer to the petition of Roger Connant, a very auntient planter, the Court judgeth it meete to grant the petitioner two hundred acres of land where it is to be found out free from any former grant."
Three years later, under date of May 28, 1674 the record reads : "Layd out to Mr. Roger Conant of Beverly alyas Basse
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River one parcel of land in the wilderness on the eastern side of Merrimack River, two hundred acres of land be it more or less, lying adjoining to Mr Webbs five hundred acres and begins at a great pine tree marked with E which is the N. W. Corner of Mr Edward Tyngs farme and from this pine it runs eighty three degrees and a half westward from the North 130 pole which reacheth to Beaver Brooke, and from the same pine tree it runs eleven degrees westward from the South two hundred and fivety pole, from thence it runs eighty fower degrees and a halfe west- ward from the South one hundred and thirty two pole. The last line is parallel to the second line & closeth to Beaver Brooke. The lines are all runne and several trees bounded with the rest well marked, it lyeth in the forme of a long square. Layd out by Jona. Danforth Surveyor 22 (3m) 1674."
No plan is on file in the State archives, but one was found in possession of the late Sewell Crosby. It was drawn by James Ingalls, Surveyor, 1744, and shows a divisional line from east to west across the middle. The southeast corner, as pointed out by Mr. Crosby, is at a rock in a wall, seven or eight rods east- wardly of the Rockwood Coburn house, which is the only dwelling on the tract. The southwest corner is at a point in the woods north of the road from Collinsville to New Boston Village, but not definitely located. The western line forms the eastern bound of the Clement farm and reaches to the brook a little north of Pelham line. The east line forms the west bound of the Dana Coburn farm. The north line is near the old Beaver brook meadows in Pelham. The tract passed into possession of the Colburns and was called the "Connet Farm."
THE SYMONDS GRANT
Samuel Symonds settled in Ipswich in 1637, and early held office in the town and colony. He was Deputy Governor, 1673- 1678. The Court granted him several tracts of land, one of 500 acres being in Dracut. The record of the laying out is interest- ing: "7 May 1662 Layd out to the wor'pff" Mr Symons five hundred acres of land, more or lesse, in the wildernes on the north of Merrimacke River lying by the rivers side right over against Mrs. Margaret Winthrop farme of three thousand acres
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
which lyeth in the bounds of Billirikey at the mouth of the Concord Ryver vpon a brooke called by the Indians Pophessgos- quockegg, beginning about one hundred and forty sixe pole below the sayd brook and so running from Merremacke vp into the country northwest & by north about fower hundred ninety fower pole, then running Southwest and by west about on hundred and ninety fower pole, then runing downe to Merri- macke againe weh west side of it is three hundred seventy three pole, and by Merremack River upon a crooked line two hundred and twelve but upon a square line one hundred and fifty fower pole which parcell of land is about fower and seventy acres; also lajd out to him a parcell of meadow of about thirty acres lying in Small Spangs at the head of this ffarme, the which lyith wthin three quarters of a mile of the land. The whole is five hundred acres."
The tract passed into the possession of Deane Winthrop and is still known by the name of "Winthrops Farm." The name still lingers and it is not unusual to hear a farmer say that he is "going down to Winthrops." The east line is marked for part of its length by a stone wall. Commencing on the river about forty rods above the mouth of Varnums brook at Bell Grove, the line comes to the highway a few rods east of the Dana Richardson house and about forty rods east of Richardsons brook. North of the road it runs through a wooded section east and northeast of Loon hill. The west line was, beyond doubt the northeasterly bound of the Jonathan Fox farm, formerly the Ephraim Rich- ardson farm, and the southwesterly bound of the George Kelley farm. The stream which runs through this tract has been called Winthrops, Coburns, and latterly Richardsons brook. The Indian name Pophessgosquockegg, is thus defined by Gordon in his "Early Grants." "Pophessgo in an English attempt at spelling Papaska, a double hill, and Squockegg is a horrible travesty of Squamenguck, place to cure salmon." In one place on the records it is spelled Pohpossegosquohockegge.
Winthrop farm passed into the joint ownership of Ephraim Hildreth and Josiah Colburn, the last named settled near the brook, where his descendants remained many years, but about 1820 he sold to the Richardsons. The grant includes the Ken- wood section, the farms of R. Rhomberg and Geo. Kelley, Loon
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Hill and much woodland and meadow north and northeast of the hill. The thirty acres of meadow belonging to this grant laid adjoining on the north but is difficult of exact location.
THE CALDICOT AND NEGUS GRANTS
"Laid out to Richard Colicutt of Boston 200 acres of land in the wilderness N. E. of merrimack lying upon Beaver Brook northward of Waymesick about 7 miles from Merrimack River. It lyeth upon the east side of said Beaver Brook beginning at ye mouth of a small Brook yt comes into ye said Beaver Brook, and so runs up ye said brook 230 poles bounded by ye said Brook on the west by a great white oak, from thence it runs E. N. E. 217 poles which extends about 20 pole eastward of the aforesaid little brook unto a pine marked C, from thence it runs due South 30 poles, from thence it runs So. So West two hundred and seventy six poles which closeth to the mouth of the little Brook running into Beaver Brook. J. Danforth Surveyor."
At the same time: "Laid out to Jonathan Negus of Boston 200 acres of land in the wilderness on the Nor East of Merrimack River upon a branch of Beaver Brook next adjoining to land lately layd out to Mr. Richard Collecut. It begins at a maple tree marked in a maple swamp in the South South west line of the said Collecuts farm, and so is bounded by the said farm on the west and extending 60 and 8 pole beyond the said farm due north unto a pillar of stones lying on the south side of a rocky hill & from thence it runs east by north 156 pole unto a pine marked with NN from thence it runs due south 212 pole, from thence it runs due west 100 & 90 pole to the first maple which is the closing line."
In 1682, the Negus grant was purchased by Peter Goulding of Boston, who sold it the same year but, very singularly, the tributary of Beaver Brook still retains the name of Goulding's brook, sometimes corrupted to "Golden." A plot of both Negus and Caldicot grants is on file. None of the bounds have been located, but the Caldicot grant covered the land between the two brooks at their junction, and extending nearly to the Moody Hobbs' farm on the road from Pelham Center to Windham. The Hobbs' road crosses Goulding's brook and in a southeast direc- tion diagonally across the Negus grant to the Gage Hill road.
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There are probably no houses on either grant. Gage's or Island Pond brook runs through the Negus grant which was at one time owned by Thomas Robins and the brook was then called Robins' brook.
THE GRANT OF 1693
The settlers upon the grants near the river and west of Beaver brook had now obtained title to much of the land on that side of the brook, besides about a thousand acres on the east side of the brook. Between these properties was an ir- regularly shaped tract of many acres as yet claimed by no one, but which the settlers were obliged to traverse in going from their homes to their lands farther from the river. With a shrewd foresight they now took measures to secure this tract for them- selves, and the fourteen heads of families thereupon presented a petition to the General Court. The petition :
"Humbly sheweth That ye petitioners have been att great cost and paines in settling themselves upon their present Im- provements wch att their owne proper charge they purchased without haveing one foot thereof given them, besides have greatly Suffered in their persons and Estates by the heathen in the Last and the present warr, by fires, Killing and wounding of Sundry of their neighbours and otherwise They have been Greatly Im- poverished. And there being a tract or parcell of barren Wast or Woodland unimproved and not as yett Taken up by any, lyeing between the Lands and meadows of yr petitioners con- taineing about two hundred Acres extending the whole Length of their Lands as more particularly appears by the Draught thereof annexed thereto. And yr petitioners haveing noe out- lett or commons to their Lands for firewood or pasturing for their Cattle Finds it to be an Incredible Inconvenience to their Improvements.
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